Bathtub drain



July 19, 1932, F. G. BROTZ 1,867,725

BATHTUB DRAIN Filed June 19, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet i fire l ATTORNEY I; July 19, 1932. G -1'2 1,867,725

BATHTUB DRAIN Filed June 19. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 19, 1932 V UNITED STATES PATENT oF ic FRANK G. IBROTZ, or KOHLEB, wIscoNsIN, ASSIGNOR T ,KOHLER' COMPANZ; on

KOHLER, WISCONSIN, A oonrona'rron or Wisconsin.

Barnruia DRAIN Application filed June 19, 1931. sem ana 14f.

The invention relates to bathtubs and to drains therefor, and has for-an object theprovision of a bathtub of simple construction having but few parts and fittings, and so ar-' ranged as to facilitate the mounting and d vide a bathtub including an integrally, formed overflow passage havingaplurality its) cleaning of the trap and the installation of the waste valve and its operating means.

vide a bathtub having waste valve operating means including a rod insertable through the overflow opening and passage to its operating position and having alower end portion which detachahly secured to a valve upwardly removable from the drain opening.

A further object of. the inventionisto proof selectively usable out-lets facing in different directions to facilitate connection to-a drain conduit. 7

' A further object isto provide a bathtub having a drain opening which is controlled by a mechanically operated. valve including a resilient rubber valve element adapted to seat directly on the vitreous surface of the tub. thus avoiding the necessity for mounting a metal valve seat member in the tub.

The invention further consists inthe'several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings;

Fig. 1 is a vertical'sectional view of anend portion of a batht'ubconstructed in accordance with theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionalview of the upper end portion of the bathtub showinga removable connecting member for the waste valve in an intermediate passing position;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the waste valve connecting member; r

Fig. 4 is a detail bottom v view of the tub,

parts. being broken away and parts. being valve Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional elevation of another modified form ofwaste valve.

In these drawings; the numeral 10 designates a cast iron bathtub of the built-in type having a vitreous enameled surface and hava ing formed integral therewith in the same casting the walls of an overflow passage 11, Another object of the invention is to pro bathtub and are'there provided with an internally threaded annular :outlet 13; which is axially aligned with a large drain opening-14 formed in the bottom wall of the tub.

short exteriorly threaded nipple 15 of large diameter extends through the drain opening 15. and at its upper end is provided with a taperedperipheral'flange 16 disposed in seal-ing'engagement with the upper surface of thebottom wall of the tub. A nut 17 is threaded onto the nipple from below to clamp the'nipple in position. -The nut 17 may beintroduced throughthe overflow open- .ing 12 and downwardly through the overflow passage 11. V I V An inverted cup-shaped pop-up valve 18 slidably fits in the nipple'1 5 and is provided with a peripheral flange 19' at its upper edge, which has a releasablesealing engagement with a seat formed at the upper face of the nipple. A' seriesof drain openings 20 are formedin the cylindrical sidewalls of the The lowerend of the valve has a detachable threaded connection with a ring 21, which is formed integrally with a bent rod 22 extend ing upwardlywithin the overflow passage 11. To facilitatejthe' attachment and detachment of the valve with respectv to. the ring 21, the valve is provi'ded with a tool-receiving slot 23. in. itsupper face.v The rod 22 hasha hookshaped upper endQ l, which is pivotally secured to a crank pin 25 carried on-a rock shaft 26. The rock shaft 26' is journalled in. a

the overflow opening 12 andis attached to the wall of the tub. in any suitable'manner. An operating handle 28. is secured-to, the

outer end of the rock shaft 26. The valvedownwardly openinghood 2' 7, which conceals I operating rod 22 is introduced into place by being passed through the overflow opening 12 and downwardly within the overflow passage 11, as seen in Fig. 2.

When access is desired to interior passages and parts therein for purposes of inspection or cleaning, it is only necessary to unscrew the pop-up valve member 18 from the ring 21 and to lift the valve member out of the nipple 15, thus permitting easy access to thepassages through the comparatively large drain opening in the bottom wall of the tub.

In addition to the downwardly opening outlet 13, the integrally formedoverflow passage is also provided with a rearwardly opening interiorly threaded outlet 29 and a forwardly opening interiorly threaded outlet 30, the latter being ofiset laterally from the outlet 13 and having aslight downward pitch, so that a, pipe with an elbow attached can be turned without interfering with the tub.

he axes of the outlets 13 and 29 are arranged at right angles to each other, and the outlet 29 is so located that a pipe connected there- I to will pass over the upper edge of an adja,

cent floor beam. One of the three outlets is selected. for connection with the drain piping, the other two being closed by pipe plugs of conventional type.

If a trap is desired, it can be attached to the downwardly opening outlet 13.- In this position, the trap can be swung about the vertical axis of the outlet to any angle inorder to facilitate'connection with the drain pipe and to clear adjacent floor beams. The

connection to the sewer can be made from trap may be readily cleaned from the inside i any angle which isnot possible withea drain of the usual type,- in which connection 1s made into one side of a T communicating with the drain outlet and the overflow. The

of the tub through the large aligned drain openings after removing the valve 18.

In the modified form of valve shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the enameled surface of the downwardly converging drain opening 14' forms a valve seat engageable by the tapered side walls of an inverted cup-shaped valve 31 of rubber or other suitable resilient material, thus obviating the necessity for fitting a metal valve seat member to the tub. The

valve 31 isclamped between'metal washers V 32 and is secured by a screw 33 to the upper end of a valve stem 34, the lower end of which has a reduced threaded extension 35 detachably threaded into the lowerend of an open-. ing rod 22' somewhat similar to the rod 22 in Fig. .1'. The valve stem 34 is provided with radially extending verticalwings 36 which center the valve stemin the drain opening when the rubber deteriorates.

. Since all working parts are accessible and removable from the inside of the tub, repairs can be made in the bathroom itself and it is unnecessary to disturb two rooms for th1s iurpose,--Wh1ch is an important featurees pecially in hotels and aparatment buildings.

Furthermore, it render unnecessary the usual practice of providing a removable panel in the wall of an adjoining room for access to the overflow and drain piping when repairs or adjustments are to be made. 7

The drain passagesmay be easily cleaned through the largedrain openings after removthe'valve. Becauseof the small amount of brass required, the outlet passages of the tub can be made considerably larger than is now possible without material additional cost. f This resultsin largerflow passages and quick draining of the bathtub, which assists in carrying away all of the floatage before it can adhere to the sides of the tub. As seen in Fig. '5, the overflow passage is formed by converging. walls presenting a generally triangular cross-section, thus reducing the area of the inner surface of the passage, while still permitting easy insertion of the valve-operating rod. The surface of the passage liable to fouling is thereby considerably reduced. r

' The few parts used are of relatively simple character and the cost of manufacturing the tub is substantially reduced, not only by requiring less expensive brass, but also by the elimination of much machining, tapping, fitting of parts, and inspection and packing operations at the factory. The valve seat nipple 15 is mountedin place at the factory, where it can 'readily-be reamed or otherwise surfaced after installation to properlylit the valve, thus insuring a much better fit than if the seat is surfaced before the nipple is applied to the tub, since there is always some distortion of the seat by drawing the nipple down onto the somewhat irregular enameled surface of the tub. The entire assembly can be packed in one package for shipping, which minimizes loss and damage and assures; that the fittings arrive at the job the sametime as the tub. This obviates the usual practice of shipping the brass fittings for the tub in a separate package.

lot

What I claim as new and desire to scour by Letters Patent is:

1. A bathtub having a drain opening and an overflow opening and having an integral 5 passageway connecting said openings, a valve-operating means including a rod bent to be capable of entering through the overflow opening and passing through the passageway to a position beneath the drain open- 10 ing, and a valve fitting on the drain opening and passing therethrough and screw threaded onto said rod, whereby the valve and rod may be assembled from above by entering them through the respective openings to their 1 engaging relation.

2. A bathtub having a drain opening and an overflow opening and having an integral passageway connecting said openings, a valve-operating means including a rod bent 20 to be capable of entering through the overflow opening and passing through the passageway to a position beneath the drain opena ing said rod having a threaded ring beneath said drain opening, and a valve fitting on the 25 drain opening and passing therethrough and threaded onto said ring, whereby the valve and rod may be assembled from above by entering them through the respective openi ings to their engaging relation.

39 3. A bathtub having a drain opening and a communicating overflow passage, valve operating means including an actuating member in said passage-having a laterally extending part'below said drain opening,

5 and a valve member in said drain opening screw threaded onto thelaterally extending part of said actuating member.

4. A bathtub having a drain opening and a communicating overflow passage valve operating means including an actuating member in said passage having a laterally extending annular portion below said drain opening, and avalve member in said drain opening having a tubular portion substantially concentric with said annular portion and detachably secured thereto.

5. A bathtub having a drain opening and a communicating overflow passage, valve operating means including an actuating member in said passagehaving a laterally extending annular portion below said drain opening, and a valve'member in said drain opening having a tubular portion screw threaded onto said annular portion.

'-' In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature,

FRANK e nno'rz, 

